Readers' letters | Cigs, light bulbs, debt and Rand Paul

Anyone remember Micronite?

The recent C-J headline, "Turning point, not end, for tobacco," was apt indeed. As a public health activist for the past 40 years, and involved with the war against Big Tobacco for the last 30, I can attest to the deviousness of this industry.

The article cited claims about the "filters that would trap toxins" but I'm sure that few smokers at the time - or even today - knew that the Micronite filter (remember Kents?) contained asbestos. And back in 1985, another revered surgeon general, Everett Koop, called for a smoke-free society by the year 2000.

At the time, 15 years seemed doable. Sadly, 29 years afterward, with 43 million U.S smokers remaining, Virginia Slims' slogan "you've come a long way baby" reminds us of the daunting challenges ahead.

Now we have e-cigarettes and their "harmless vapors." My one-word reply: Micronite.

ART HOFFMAN

Louisville 40242

Light bulb police

We have the cigarette police (except for marijuana), the food police, the separation of church and state police, the health care police, and now, I'm sure, the light bulb police. In my mind, I see a group of mad scientists sitting around a table saying, "Let's invent a light bulb that is so ugly that it staggers the imagination. Then let's make sure that every American is required to use them."

Of course, there are people with taste who have a warehouse full of acceptable light bulbs. I wonder what is next.

LIZ SHEA

Henderson, Ky. 42420

Public debt

This letter is a simple appeal to the common sense of all Americans, independent of your political party affiliations. I continue to watch the out-of-control national debt of the United States.

As of Dec. 12, our total public debt amounted to a mind-boggling $17.226 trillion.We can finger-point all day long on the root causes and make excuses.

When are we going to be honest with ourselves?

Both sides of the aisle are to blame. And the bottom line is that all of us are just as accountable, including me, because we are allowing this reckless government spending and borrowing of money to continue on our watch with no end in sight.

What we are doing to resolve these issues are not working.

It's not someone else's problem; we all own this problem. What can we do?

It's simple. Stop the madness and work together. Let's set aside our political party loyalties for a change. Vote the career politicians out at all levels of government and give new politicians an opportunity to try.

We can do better. Please consider the next time you are at the voting booth. Our country is in financial dire straits. Thank you.

VINCENT P. OSBOURN

Louisville 40213

Paul's priorities

I saw a TV news story showing Rand Paul supposedly trying to enroll his son in the new health care program through kynect. He claimed he ran into numerous problems, had trouble contacting anyone to help, and eventually received a Medicaid card for his young son.

Either our junior senator is less intellectually capable than the almost 100,000 in our state that have already signed up or he is once again playing his anti-Obama political games. Instead of spreading misinformation about a health care plan helping millions and catering to his tea party base, maybe he should be working on restoring unemployment benefits, raising the minimum wage and creating jobs.

DAVE O'BRYAN

Louisville 40243

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Email this article

Readers' letters | Cigs, light bulbs, debt and Rand Paul

The recent C-J headline, 'Turning point, not end, for tobacco,' was apt indeed. As a public health activist for the past 40 years, and involved with the war against Big Tobacco for the last 30, I can